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OBDLink MX WiFi is a fun little gadget that lets your phone talk to your car, in real time. It's easy for anyone to use, and it works on iOS, Android and Windows platforms. Use it with a variety of highly-rated apps that enable you to connect with your car like never before. OBDLink MX WiFi is like a swiss army knife for your car!

Don’t let its modest looks fool you: it is absolutely the awesomest device of its kind, for the following reasons:

OBDLink MX WiFi's functionality is limited only by the imagination of the programmers that write the apps. Apps that exist on the market today, can be used to:

Improve your gas mileage

Remote start your car (on select vehicles)

Create a digital dashboard or a heads-up display

Buy a used car with confidence

Lock/unlock doors (on select vehicles)

Clear the ‘Check Engine’ light, and investigate its cause

Make your phone go “Vroom! Vroom!”, in sync with the gas pedal

Impress your friends, family, and significant others

When you're checking out a used car, use OBDLink MX WiFi to see if the Check Engine light has recently been cleared, and see if any new trouble codes are pending.

The obdCANex app uses MX's advanced network support,.enabling you to control door locks and remotely start the engine on select GM vehicles.

Use OBDLink MX with the Dash app and unlock enhanced performance, cost savings, and social driving.

Sadly, MX WiFi is not in production yet, and we only shipped a dozen of prototypes to our most trusted beta testers. However, to give you a taste of what to expect, here is what real people posted on Amazon after trying out its cousin, the OBDLink MX Bluetooth:

“The greatest thing since sliced bread! ... This is SLICK!”

“My favorite feature by far is the auto shutoff, and this adapter is the only one I'm aware of which has it. I leave it plugged in 24/7 in my car and it automatically shuts off after I turn off the car, and comes right back on when I start the engine."

“This adapter has the fastest response times and supports the largest amount of data out of any of the OBD/Bluetooth adapters. If you're using a program like Torque, you'll want the extra data capacity/speed, as each gauge you add to Torque uses more bandwidth.”

“Device worked great and paired with my windows laptop and android phone with no issues. I leave it plugged in all the time and have not had any battery drain issues.”

“I've used cheapo adapters before, but this one blows them out of the water. This one from Scan Tool provides information at (according to my Torque) at around 40-50 PIDs/second, at least five times that of the old adapter.”

“After reading through a roller coaster of reviews of the Chinese knock offs, I went with the most expensive option but I think I made the right decision. This thing reads PIDs at blazing speeds, it is claimed to be the fastest on the market and I believe it. I never have to worry about a dead battery because it automatically shuts off when the OBD signal stops. It took about 10 seconds to set up on my EVO 4g.”

“This is an excellent tool that I am very pleased with. It is fast, accurate, and very useful. It is faster and easier to use than the high dollar scan tools we have in the shop! For about $150, I grab it before the shop one ($2000)! That one is left on the bench!”

“This has saved me lots of money and worry. I run a small car lot where I do most everything. Being able to know what’s going on with a car before I buy it is priceless. And knowing what my mechanic told me was true or not keeps him honest.”

“OBD” stands for “On-Board Diagnostics”, a network of small rugged computers that control everything in a modern vehicle, from engine and transmission, to anti-lock brakes and climate control. You are likely familiar with one element of the OBD system, the “Check Engine” light. Another element of the system, the OBD port, allows you to access the network for troubleshooting or other purposes.

OBDLink MX WiFi is a pocket-sized, wireless device that enables you to access the data available on the OBD network with your smart phone, tablet, or PC. The device plugs into the standard OBD port found in all modern vehicles, and requires no tools to install.

The average installation time is 3 minutes, including the OBDLink app download. You can safely leave it plugged in: the unique BatterySaver technology will automatically put the device to sleep. Once you plug it in, MX will appear in the list of available networks as a secure WiFi Access Point.

The OBD port is standard on all 1996 and newer vehicles sold in the USA. Manufacturers typically locate the OBD port in the area below the dash, as shown.

MX supports all legislated OBD-II protocols, plus advanced Ford & GM vehicle networks (Ford MSC and GMLAN). It works with all 1996 & newer cars and light trucks sold in the United States, and also supports EOBD, JOBD, and all other international variants of OBD-II.

With OBDLink MX Wifi, you can use your phone or tablet as a diagnostic scan tool, trip computer, heads-up display, and even as a remote control (on select vehicles).

Most WiFi-enabled OBD adapters only work in so-called “Ad Hoc” mode. With Ad-Hoc, you have to manually configure your IP settings every time you want to connect to the adapter. To make
matters worse, Android users have to root their phone for Ad-Hoc adapters to work.

Just select 'OBDLink MX' from the list of available WiFi networks, and enter the supplied unique passphrase. Your phone can still use 3G/4G for Internet connectivity.

In infrastructure mode, MX connects to an existing WiFi network. The pairing process is simple: push the WPS button on the router, then press MX’s multi-function button. MX broadcasts its presence on the network, allowing compatible apps to automatically

OBDLink MX WiFi is based on the hugely successful OBDLink MX Bluetooth, launched in 2011. It has overvoltage protection, doesn’t get hot, and reliably connects to all OBD-II compliant vehicles.

Unmatched Software Support

In addition to the included OBDLink apps and OBDwiz software, OBDLink MX WiFi will work, out-of-the-box, with dozens of existing third-party applications, across multiple mobile and desktop platforms.

Open Architecture

We don’t use a proprietary protocol in an effort to create a closed ecosystem. In fact, we published the programming manual and designed an inexpensive OBD simulator to promote the creation of new apps. If you’re interested in developing OBD applications, contact us for help getting started.

Privacy

Last year saw the launch of a number of OBD adapters that have a cellular radio, and save user data in the cloud as part of their normal operation. We encourage you to read their user agreements before you sign up. As for our part, we promise that when you use OBDLink MX WiFi, your data will not be analyzed, used for surveillance/tracking, or sold to advertising and insurance companies. And since the data isn’t automatically saved, hackers won’t be able to get at it, either. With OBDLink MX, you truly have full control over your information.

No Monthly Fees

There’s no data plan, no subscription fees, and no hidden costs.

Superior Design

You don't have to look hard to find cheap wireless OBD adapters of all shapes and sizes. The vast majority of them are clones of our hugely popular, but by now largely obsolete ElmScan 5 ELM327-based design. Besides getting hot and sometimes catching on fire due to questionable workmanship, these clones have a number of inherent design flaws: excessive car battery drain, lack of security, difficulty establishing and maintaining a connection, complicated setup, and disappointing data performance. OBDLink MX has been designed from the ground up to address these shortcomings.

UNLOCKED! Thank you for your incredible support!

OBDLink MX supports all model year 1996+ cars and light trucks sold in the United States, as well as vehicles based on EOBD (Europe), JOBD (Japan), and all other international variants of OBD-II.

OBDLink MX WiFi is compatible with vehicles in the above countries. For imports, compatibility is determined by the country of origin. All-electric vehicles are not required to be compliant with OBD, but hybrids are.

OBDLink MX WiFi can work with any WiFi-enabled smart phone, tablet, or PC. Officially supported platforms (this means, we verified that MX WiFi works with apps running under these operating systems) include:

iOS (iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch)

Android phones & tablets

Windows Phone

Windows 2000 and later PCs

Given MX’s open architecture and strict adherence to the 802.11 standard, we anticipate apps to be developed for other platforms as well. In fact, compatible third party applications are already popping up for several other platforms, including Blackberry and Linux.

OBDLink MX works with Android, iOS, & Windows operating systems. Use it with any WiFi-enabled phone, tablet, or laptop.

You'll have lots of app and software options, as OBDLink MX is backwards-compatible with the popular ELM327 command set. Here's a small sample of apps and software we recommend:

Normally, it takes six weeks to receive the first batch of a new design. However, we already sourced electronic components, raw PCBs, and enclosures to shave 2 weeks off the schedule. Also, we plan to deploy new-generation assembly-line testers, which should reduce the test time by over half. In the best possible scenario, we expect to start shipping production units in mid-April.

Joe Baumbach,Senior Engineer

Joe has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering Technology from DeVry University, and handles all aspects of the hardware design -- digital, analog, and RF. He is responsible for capturing schematics, laying out PCBs, testing prototypes, and preparing files for manufacturing.

Dave Beecham,Director of Business Development

Dave is tasked with doing market research to ensure that MX WiFi’s feature set meets customers’ needs, and is responsible for developing the marketing strategy (this Kickstarter is a part of it). Dave attended the University of Nebraska, and graduated from SCC-Milford with a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology.

Vitaliy Chetverikov, Co-Founder, Chief Software Developer

Vitaliy’s primary responsibility is the development of the OBDLink firmware and production tester software. Vitaliy has a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering Technology from DeVry University.

Chris Fincher, Engineer

Chris is a graduate of DeVry University’s Computer Engineering Technology program, responsible for prototyping parts of the circuit, assembling the testers, and assisting with integration testing.

Vitaliy Maksimov,Co-Founder, Project Manager

Vitaliy is overseeing the project, making sure deadlines are met and helping the team members overcome any obstacles. Vitaliy graduated from DeVry University with a degree in Computer Engineering Technology.

Jason Smith, Senior Engineer

Jason is responsible for creating the assembly-line tester, which will be used by the factory to program and stress-test the devices to make sure they will long outlast our 3-year warranty. Jason earned his degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from DeVry University.

It’s been a long journey, but we are nearing the finish line: the prototypes are meeting our expectations, and as soon as the remaining WiFi glitches are fixed, we will be ready to begin production. All we need, is one last push. Your pledges will be used to cover the cost of manufacturing the first batch of OBDLink MX WiFi’s.

Don’t wait to make your pledge: we are practically giving away the first 100 units, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Please support us by sharing this Kickstarter with your friends, and making a pledge, TODAY!

Risks and challenges

We spent the last year field-testing and debugging OBDLink MX WiFi, and very few risks remain:

* WiFi module firmware. While testing the prototypes, engineers discovered several elusive glitches that may negatively affect user experience. The engineers created a suite of automated tests, and are working with the vendor on tracking down the remaining bugs. If worst comes to worst, our contingency plan calls for implementing workarounds in the driver code.

* New assembly-line tester. Using lessons learned from the previous generation testers, we designed a new tester to drastically reduce the time necessary to test each unit, and provide more details about the failures, which will enable the production manager to quickly identify and correct manufacturing problems. There is a small chance that it may not be ready in time for production, forcing the factory to fall back to using the slower old testers.

* Unforeseen manufacturing difficulties. Over our 12 years in business, we’ve seen projects get delayed for all sorts of reasons: from being unable to buy a particular transistor, to floods that keep delivery trucks from reaching the factory. To minimize this risk, we followed a stringent, proven pre-production checklist. Barring natural disasters, there should not be any delays due to manufacturing.

OBDLink MX WiFi was designed by the same team of engineers that designed the hugely successful OBDLink MX Bluetooth, and will be manufactured at the same facility. The two devices have comparable complexity, and share many design concepts.

The STN11xx codebase that is at the heart of MX, has been road-tested on over 100,000 vehicles of every imaginable make and model, in every part of the world -- from Africa to Alaska. We have full confidence in the success of the project.

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